1884 Democratic National Convention

In 1884, the Democrats gathered in Chicago for their National Convention. The Democrats made Governor Grover Cleveland of New York their presidential nominee with the former Governor Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana as the vice presidential nominee.[1]

1884 Democratic National Convention
1884 presidential election
Nominees
Cleveland and Hendricks
Convention
Date(s)July 8–11, 1884
CityChicago, Illinois
VenueExposition Building
Candidates
Presidential nomineeGrover Cleveland of New York
Vice presidential nomineeThomas A. Hendricks of Indiana

Background

The leading candidate for the presidential nomination was New York Governor Grover Cleveland. Cleveland's reputation for good government made him a national figure. The Republican Party nominated James G. Blaine for president in 1884, although he had been implicated in a financial scandal. Many influential Republicans were outraged, thought the time had come for a national reform administration and withdrew from the convention. These Republicans are called mugwumps, and declared that they would vote for the Democratic candidate based on his integrity.

Presidential nomination

Candidates
Diagram of Convention Hall, Chicago, site of the 1884 Democratic National Convention.

Seven names were placed in nomination: Grover Cleveland, Thomas F. Bayard, Allen G. Thurman, Samuel J. Randall, Joseph E. McDonald, John G. Carlisle, and George Hoadly.

Thomas A. Hendricks professed that he was not a candidate for the presidential nomination. When a delegate from Illinois cast the only vote he received on the first ballot, Hendricks rose to ask this vote be withdrawn because it "wrongly" placed him before the convention. Nonetheless, Hendricks made an impressive showing on the second ballot but it was not enough to prevent the nomination of Cleveland.

Presidential Ballot
Ballot1st2nd Before Shifts2nd After Shifts
Grover Cleveland392475683
Thomas F. Bayard170151.581.5
Thomas A. Hendricks1123.545.5
Allen G. Thurman88604
Samuel J. Randall7854
Joseph E. McDonald5622
John G. Carlisle2700
Roswell P. Flower400
George Hoadly300
Samuel J. Tilden120
Abstaining010

Source: US President - D Convention. Our Campaigns. (August 26, 2009).


  • 1st Presidential Ballot
  • 2nd Presidential Ballot
    Before Shifts
  • 2nd Presidential Ballot
    After Shifts

Vice Presidential nomination

Hendricks, who was the 1876 Democratic vice presidential nominee, was offered the 1884 nomination and accepted.

Vice Presidential candidate

Withdrawn candidates
A crazy quilt in support of the Democratic ticket from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum, featuring the Democratic Rooster (precursor of the Donkey) at center and photos of Cleveland and Hendricks below.

Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana was overwhelming nominated as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate after the names of John C. Black, George W. Glick, Joseph E. McDonald, and William Rosecrans were withdrawn from consideration.

Vice Presidential Ballot
Thomas A. Hendricks816
Abstaining4

Source: US Vice President - D Convention. Our Campaigns. (August 26, 2009).


  • 1st Vice Presidential Ballot
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See also

Footnotes
  1. World Book

Further reading

Primary sources
  • Chester, Edward W A guide to political platforms (1977) pp 109–114 online
Preceded by
1880
Cincinnati, Ohio		 Democratic National Conventions Succeeded by
1888
St. Louis, Missouri
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